Liveuamap

Representation of Ukraine During Conflict

Nicholas Savasta - Carleton University

01 / 06

Liveuamap

  • Live Universal Awareness Map
  • Liveuamap was established in 2014 - To follow Conflict and Annexation of Crimea
  • Interactive Web map - Users are able to create own map at basic level
  • Programmed AI "Web Crawlers" designed to seek and geo-reference information
  • By popular demand, the service has expanded its coverage to the USA, Balkans, and Syria

Ukraine - Current Events

  • Additional sources for current events on the Ukraine Conflict
  • Check Liveuamap by date for desired time period (Tab located in the top right corner)

Critical Cartography - Capitalizations

Interactive

  • User Friendly interface
  • Allows users to scroll, zoom, and even create own map
  • Point and click based interaction allowing minimal effort from user to seek desired or new information
  • Symbols are large and impactful

Symbols - Common Language

  • Most symbols are self explanatory creating a common language for many users with different backgrounds
  • Symbols themselves are interactive and are linked with the sources (Air raid warning symbols are particularly impactful for non-Ukraine residents as it displays live-time air raids and warning people to take cover in the respective districts)
  • Symbols are large and adjust to zoom level in order to preserve geographic features

Sources and Georeferencing

  • All information on map is not only sourced but is linked with the georeferenced location
  • Allows users to match news with location, increasing the level of impact and or relevancy for user
  • Allows for easy display of hotspots and identification of conflict zones
  • Enables user to follow up on sources and seek further information regarding news
  • Click on the map and select a symbol. Proceed to source button located top right of the news feed page to read more about source of information.

Critical Cartography - Limitations

Programmed AI

  • AI is a terrific way to quickly source information and geolocate it with limited analyst input
  • However as Liveuamap indicates that they are free from political influence it is hard to fully believe this, as many maps are politically influenced and promote good causes as well as bad (Tyner, et al, 2018). AI can be programmed to do this.
  • So, who programs the AI? Under what directive and mission? And what is filtered and what is not?

Operational and Communication Security

  • As courteous and good intentioned Liveuamap may display, there is still the question of sub-conscious open source intelligence reporting that may benefit combat units and other intelligence communities.
  • Take the article presented on the right for example - information and imagery regarding EXACT amount of units, equipment, weaponary, and direction of travel of this Russian Column
  • As practical as this information is for locals trying to escape conflict and or prepare those for possible Russian encounters, it is reporting like this that is of significant strategic value to an opposing force (Provided that this source can be verified)
  • Open source information such as this report, are the very reports that can influence, force reaction, offensive and defensive maneuvers, and mean the difference between life and death
  • As a result, Liveuamap does claim to be free of political bias. However, this is hard to prove when reporting such as the one indicated on the map clearly delivers a possible tactical advantage to Ukraine. Reporting throughout the years of the conflict has seen other reports such as this one, that entail in-depth detail on troop, vehicle, and tactical movements of Russian forces.
  • Does Liveuamap have the right as a non-military and intelligence agency to allow reporting like this to be displayed on their product?
  • From a more neutral perspective, this information could prove extremally useful to those trying to flee general conflict as a convoy/column such as this may attract a clash between opposing forces. Hence, giving notification to locals buying them time to escape.

Land ownership

  • When navigating map it is not always clear as to who currently occupies which territory.
  • A user may find this confusing as there are areas on the map that are colored and areas that are not.
  • A user that utilizes the map over a period of time will discover that colored areas (red and blue), are in fact areas captured or recaptured by the forces rather than official territorial ownership. This is particularly noticeable in the northern part of Ukraine from Kyiv and then east of the city. (Change timeframe in the time ribbon to see the changes)

Ukraine - A Place of Suffering or Resilience

  • Suffering: “The state of undergoing pain, distress, or hardship” – Oxford Languages
  • Resilience: “The capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness” – Oxford Languages
  • Ukraine has suffered horrific losses on the battlefield and on the Homefront from collateral damages
  • As this conflict is the first of this scale in the modern age, it has been reported and documented like no other war before. The access to information and technology has aided this documentation. With coverage comes the display of suffering in the conflict zones and the horrible display of the death.

Ukrainian Hardships in the last 100 years

  1. Holocaust and WWII conflict
  2. Separation from the oppressive USSR era
  3. Numerous power struggles (Pre - 2014 - refusal to integrate with Europe)
  4. Annexation of Crimea
  • Through all these intense periods of time, Ukraine has persevered and rebelled.

Liveuamap - Display of Resilience

  • When examining the days since the start of the invasion of Ukraine, users will notice that most days are cluttered with a sea of red symbols indicating Russian movements and attacks. This remains persistent.
  • However, Liveuamap displays many counter offensives particularly in the spring of 2022, where much of the North and North Eastern land in Ukraine was reclaimed or liberated as Liveuamap labels some significant days such as the liberation of Bucha on April 1st 2022.
  • Despite the continued attacks by Russian forces and the sea of red symbols indicating fierce assaults and air raids, the eastern front currently still holds strong and signs of counter offensives are still being reported.
  • There is still on the ground reporting the occurring, indicating Ukrainian forces are still on the move and perservering through large battles where the are often out numbered. A true representation of an army that is well trained, well equipped and has a motivation to fight.
  • Home place is a center of meaning and field of care – a place where (in an ideal world) we feel safe, secure, and loved. Home is frequently used by humanistic geographers as a symbol for universal attachment.” (Cresswell, 2009, 173)
  • Message from President Zelensky and members of the government reporting from the capital city (Kyiv). Was reported and referenced on Liveuamap the day of the invasion. Reporting from the capital city and showing that the government is still present and has not fallen or or retreated from the invading force inspires confidence in the people of Ukraine that since their capital city and government still stands, they have a chance in rebelling the enemy force. A force that has cause and a will to fight is the most dangerous kind of force.
  • Home place is a center of meaning and field of care – a place where (in an ideal world) we feel safe, secure, and loved. Home is frequently used by humanistic geographers as a symbol for universal attachment.” (Cresswell, 2009, 173)
  • Remove one of the elements of homeplace and this results in suffering momentarily. But, builds and inspires resistance and ultimately resilience in those who are at loss.
  • Believe that Liveuamap captures the display of resilience in the Ukrainian people as the map shows the large scale of the invasion through it's continual reporting of events on the ground through geolocation.
  • The reporting indicated heavy Russian presence and aggression. However, since the spring of 2022 the map also indicates that Ukraine has made gains in reclaiming territory in the north and north eastern parts of the country, showing that despite the odds in numbers the Ukrainians faced at the beginning of the war, they were still able to drive an enemy force larger than them out of a large area of territory and hold them on the eastern front for an extended period of time.

References

 Aljazeera Coverage On Ukraine Conflict  

 BBC Coverage on Ukraine Conflict  

 Liveuamap Statement